Spartans Face Rollins in Sunshine State Championship Rematch
TAMPA, Fla. – A championship rematch is set as the No. 1 University of Tampa men's lacrosse team puts its perfect season on the line against Rollins in the Sunshine State Conference title game. The Spartans aim to defend their crown and secure their third conference title in four years, while the Tars look to play spoiler after two strong postseason victories.
The Matchup: No. 1 University of Tampa (17-0, 8-0 SSC) vs. RV Rollins (10-7, 5-2 SSC)
Date/Time: Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
Location: Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex, 1120 West North A Street, Tampa, FL 33606
Series History: Tampa holds a commanding advantage in the all-time series against Rollins, winning 16 of 17 meetings dating back to 2012. The Spartans have won six of the last seven matchups, including a 16–11 road victory earlier this season. Tampa also defeated Rollins in last year's Sunshine State Conference Championship by a score of 16–9, and has posted 10 double-digit wins in the series overall.
About the Spartans: The top-ranked and top-seeded Spartans enter the SSC Championship final with a spotless 17–0 record after a dominant 21–4 semifinal win over Embry-Riddle. Three of the conference's top four scorers—Ryan Kemp, Jackson Bashaw, and Davis Lindsey—combined for four goals and three assists in the semifinal, while Gavin Bomstad and Rex Kesselring led a balanced attack with three goals each. Tampa has outscored opponents by an average of 6.8 goals per game, more than five times the margin of the next closest team. The Spartans' 241 goals lead the SSC by a margin of 37 over Rollins. Defensively, Sunshine State Defensive Player of the Week Connor Theriault anchors the unit with a conference-best 7.47 goals-against average, nearly two goals fewer than any other starting keeper.
About the Tars: The third-seeded Rollins Tars advance to the SSC title game after posting back-to-back postseason wins. They opened tournament play with a 13–8 quarterfinal win over Florida Tech before pulling off a dramatic 12–11 semifinal upset over No. 19 Lynn. Jack Johnstone has scored five of his six postseason goals in the semifinals, bringing his season total to 34, the third-most in the SSC. Seth Isenhour has also tallied six goals and two assists in the postseason and ranks third in the league in assists per game (1.2), helping drive the Tars' high-powered attack.